Grand Canyon visitor plunges 400 feet off South Rim to death

A 29-year-old Nevada man accidentally fell about 400 feet (120 meters) to his death while visiting the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, a park official said on Friday.

Juan Carreras-Soto, of Las Vegas, was on a visit with his family on Thursday when he was reported to have tumbled off the edge of a rim trail east of Mather Point, said park spokeswoman Kirby-Lynn Shedlowski.

His body was recovered on Friday by a park helicopter.

Park officials were notified of the incident late on Thursday afternoon, but suspended any recovery operations until the next morning because of the rugged terrain, the time of day and over safety concerns.

The National Park Service and the Coconino Medical Examiner are investigating the death, but officials said it has initially been ruled accidental.

This is the second confirmed fatality at the sprawling park this year. In February, a 73-year-old man from New London, Minnesota, went into cardiac arrest and died while on a day hike.

The crimson-hued canyon ranks as one of the world’s most popular outdoor tourist venues, attracting more than 4.7 million visitors in 2014.

(Reporting by David Schwartz; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Sandra Maler)